Dodes'ka-den (1970)

November 15, 2022 10:52 AM

[TRAILER] A group of impoverished misfits inhabiting a Japanese landfill have experiences that are alternately joyful and disheartening. Young, disabled Roku-chan (Yoshitaka Zushi) spends his days in a fantasy world where he is the captain of an imaginary train, while his mother, Okuni (Kin Sugai), remains in constant prayer, rarely venturing out of her shanty. A homeless man and his child lovingly envision every detail of the home they wish they had money to build, and a mute girl has a tragic encounter.

Dodes'ka-den is an onomatopoeia term equivalent to "Clickety-clack".

Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Shinobu Hashimoto. Based on the novel A City Without Seasons by Shūgorō Yamamoto.

73% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on HBO Max and Criterion. It's also on Internet Archive.

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posted by DirtyOldTown (4 comments total)

This is a film filled with weirdness and empathy.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:03 AM on November 15, 2022

I saw this movie when I was much too young (maybe 8 or 9?) and I'm sure I didn't understand a lot, but some bits of it have stuck with me for 40ish years, so I guess I should probably re-watch it.
posted by tangosnail at 2:22 PM on November 15, 2022

Definitely putting this on my list to watch.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:26 PM on November 16, 2022

For some reason this film was a very important part of my childhood that I have no memory of watching but I remember my mom going around saying "Dodes'ka-den" like the kid in the movie(??) I guess I will watch now!
posted by latkes at 11:14 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]